Vegueros Especiales No.1, 1997 Vintage Cigar

Vegueros Especiales No.1, 1997 Vintage Cigar

          Being only familiar with the Vegueros line following it’s complete 2013 re-branding, it was clear that a big puzzle piece of the brand’s history was missing. Considering the little literature available on this brand, let alone a comparison of the original blend to the post 2013 blend, I knew I had my work cut out for me with this review. Today, the 1997 Vegueros Especiales No.1 stands as a relic of a previous century and a product of Habanos S.A’s first attempt at a more budget friendly “domestic” cigar line. Met with more suspicion by the international market at first (Vegueros only claimed 0.3% of all export share by 2000) few aficionados were stocking up on these in the mid 90’s, overlooking their aging potential. So,  when you stumble across a Vegueros Especiales No.1 you can’t help but wonder about the strange journey this pig-tailed thin-gauge cigar made before reaching you. If such happenstance should happen to any readers, I highly suggest you hold on to this obscure Long panatela.

           Firstly I was impressed at how fragrant the cigar was after so many years. Overwhelmingly distinct notes of sweet spices, molasses, toffee and caramel please the olfactory sense. The cold draw prompted additional concentration as the tasting notes in contrast were very subtle.  I was able to discern a dried herb character, hints of eucalyptus being the foundation, with a subtly white pepper heat.
           

           First Third: The 23-year old cigar breaks the ice quick, with a full body flavor upon the first puff. A deep base of leather provides the background to dominant undertones of nuts, and a mineral finish of salt.

          Second Third: Reaching the second third, the texture of the flavor profile became smoother and with it a lowering of intensity. It is at the midway point that the predominant character of the cigar became obvious. The vitola is deeply earthy, bringing to mind damp soil, and a wider spectrum of mineral notes to my palette, mostly charcoal and graphite.
           

          Last Third: The earthy character of the cigar remains consistent, however as it intensifies new subtle elements are introduced. Spice in the form of cumin and coriander catch up, giving the finish a surprising kick. Upon the retro-inhale all these tasting elements combined to reaffirm an earthy yet vaguely metallic medium-bodied cigar.
          What was striking is that this 23-year old cigar produced smoke that was highly aromatic, reminding me slightly of pipe tobacco. This vintage cigar introduced me to flavor combinations that I had not tasted before, an experience that was easily facilitated with it’s excellent draw and construction. Despite the age on the smoke, the cigar began and swelled up to a considerable strength, while the cold draw hinted at the “grassy” character that is often cited for the original line up of Vegueros.

          The hardest part of this review was knowing that in doing so I would be forever eliminating a piece of Habanos history in smoking this rare cigar. I can only hope that this experience can stand as a worthy record of its existence.